June 2017

Charlotte isn't exactly known for being a biker's paradise, but we're working on it.

The city's made huge strides in the last few years to become more bike-friendly, from community events to better bike lanes to a popular city-wide bike-sharing system. Whether you like to bike to work, ride the trails, or cycle for exercise, there's a bike-friendly neighborhood in Charlotte that will work for you.

Where are Charlotte's most bike-friendly neighborhoods? If you're looking for a house that can serve as your launching point for some serious bike adventures, consider these six 'hoods. You might be surprised.

1. Plaza Midwood

Plaza Midwood has a lot of superlatives: The "trendiest," the "foodiest," and the "coolest" neighborhood in

Did you know there are over 25,000,000 hobby golfers living in the United States? Thanks to an uptick in Baby Boomers, a surge in the economy, and a rise in golf as a popular sport, golf course communities are hotter than ever.

What do buyers want when looking at homes for sale in golf course communities? They want a great golf course or two, obviously, but they also want livable homes, natural spaces, and amenities galore. Found a golf neighborhood you think might be “the one?” Here are a few very important questions to ask first.

1. When was the community built?

You may not realize, but golf course communities have changed a lot over the last few decades. The older a golf community, the narrower fairways are likely to be. What does that

Is it the right time to downsize your Charlotte home?Unequivocally, yes.

We work with home buyers every week who have (smartly) decided that now's a good time to sell the family home and settle into something a little more manageable. What market-specific and economic factors make now a good time to downsize in Charlotte? We break down the factors one-by-one.

1) Charlotte is a very much a seller's market.2) Developers in CLT are investing in Boomer-ready properties.3) "Downsizing" is more economically viable than its ever been.

Charlotte: The Seller's Market to End All Seller's Markets

By far and away the biggest reason to sell your home and move into something a little smaller right now in Charlotte is that the market still favors

Active adult communities are one of the biggest trends in real estate. These neighborhoods, designed specifically to appeal and cater to retirees, are popping up all over the country and in some cases house thousands of residents. Here in Charlotte, there are over two dozen active adult communities and growing.

In a nutshell, active adult communities provide for independent living (i.e. no “assistance”) with a variety of community-accessible amenities. In most cases, these communities require a high percentage of residents to be 55+, hence their nickname “55 and Older Neighborhoods.” Why do people buy in these neighborhoods? Because they offer a community vibe, ready-made peers, and luxury amenities that would be hard to come by otherwise.

The numbers are in for May and it looks like more of the same. The Charlotte metro area still faces a significant inventory crisis which is leading to stagnated sales, higher prices, and a much tighter market all around. Local inventory is down more than 20% year over year, however pending sales are up, which is something CRRA president Roger Parham, says indicates that buyers are in our market house hunting are and ready to purchase.

Here's a snapshot of what has been going on in the Charlotte area during the month of May.

Here is a closer look at what some of these numbers mean:

New Listings and Inventory of Homes: While new listings are up, year over year, we're still seeing an inventory percentage of over 20%, which means that things

HOAs are an increasingly common fact of real estate.

HOA stands for “Home Owner's Association.” The term is often used as shorthand to describe the monthly/annual dues paid to said association (i.e. “The HOAs at this place are high!”) Many developments in and around Charlotte are HOA-governed.

What are HOAs, Exactly?

Great question! HOAs are usually formed when a developer builds a multi-family residential property. This kind of "property" can manifest in several ways: A condo building; a townhome complex; and even a planned neighborhood of single family homes. The Home Owner’s Association (specifically, the HOA bylaws, a lengthy set of provisions for the community) provides structure to the community, outlining rules and regulations as well